QUICK TRANSCRIPTION TIPS

There’s no need to be intimidated. You can decipher even the most challenging handwriting in centuries-old historical documents if you follow Judith’s recommendations

1 QUICK SCAN

Make a quick scan of the document to get a general sense of its meaning, then number the lines you are transcribing and keep to those lines in your transcription. Also add a title that describes its content.

2 BE FAITHFUL

Try not to change the punctuation and spelling, although if you wish to add letters to aid comprehension, underline them so it is clear which letters appear only in the original document.

3 ABBREVIATIONS

If a word has been abbreviated, then put any letters you add in square brackets.

4 ILLEGIBLE LETTERS

If you come across illegible text, use {…} with the number of dots equalling the number of illegible characters.

5 MAKE A COMPARISON

If you are having difficulty making out a letter, look for an example of a similar-looking letter in another word that you do recognise elsewhere in the document.

6 ADJACENCY

Adjacent letters can help you to decipher a problem word.

7 USE A GUIDE

Consult a guide to the different letterforms associated with the hand you are reading.

8 KNOW THE FORMULA

Many official documents follow a specific formula, so make sure that you familiarise yourself with other examples.

9 IMPROVING VISIBILITY

With handwriting that is small or faint, try adjusting the contrast on your screen or increasing the magnification. It can also be helpful to print out the document and examine it under a bright light, or with the aid of a magnifying glass.

10 CONSULT OTHERS

If you are stuck with a word, see if someone else can help. Our Facebook group is a great place to share words that are hard to read.